Shloka 753
Dama-pradhāna-dharma (Self-restraint as the Root of Dharma) — Śānti-parva 154
शकक्यं जीवयितुं होष बालो वर्षशतैरपि । जो व्यक्ति एक बार इस देहसे नाता तोड़कर मर जाता है, उसके लिये फिर इस शरीरमें लौटना सम्भव नहीं है सैकड़ों सियार अपना शरीर बलिदान कर दें तो भी सैकड़ों वर्षोंमें इस बालकको जिलाया नहीं जा सकता
śakyaṃ jīvayituṃ hoṣa bālo varṣaśatair api | yo vyaktiḥ eka-bāraṃ asya dehasya nātāṃ toḍakara mṛtaḥ, tasya kṛte punaḥ asmin śarīre laṭṭuṃ sambhavaṃ na asti | śatair api śṛgālaiḥ sva-śarīraṃ balidānaṃ kṛtaṃ cet, api ca śata-varṣaiḥ asya bālakasya jīvanaṃ na śakyate |
Jambuka berkata, “Wahai Hoṣa, bahkan dalam seratus tahun pun anak ini tak dapat dihidupkan kembali. Seseorang yang sekali memutus ikatan dengan tubuh ini dan mati, tak mungkin kembali lagi ke tubuh yang sama. Sekalipun ratusan jakal mengurbankan tubuh mereka, anak ini tetap takkan bangkit, bahkan dalam ratusan tahun.”
जम्बुक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse stresses the finality of death with respect to the same physical body: once the bond with the body is broken, re-entry into that very body is not possible. It cautions against magical or transactional hopes of reversing death, even through extreme sacrifices.
Jambuka addresses Hoṣa and rejects the possibility of reviving a dead child. He emphasizes that even extraordinary measures—symbolized by hundreds of jackals sacrificing themselves—cannot restore the child’s life, framing the moment as a sobering counsel amid grief.